Research on energy conversion system of floating wave energy converter

A wave power device includes an energy harvesting system and a power take-off system. The power take-off system of a floating wave energy device is the key that converts wave energy into other forms. A set of hydraulic power take-off system, which suits for the floating wave energy devices, includes hydraulic system and power generation system. The hydraulic control system uses a special“self-hydraulic control system”to control hydraulic system to release or save energy under the maximum and the minimum pressures. The maximum pressure is enhanced to 23 MPa, the minimum to 9 MPa. Quite a few experiments show that the recent hydraulic system is evidently improved in efficiency and reliability than our previous one, that is expected to be great significant in the research and development of our prototype about wave energy conversion.     

Investigation on the energy absorption performance of a fixed-bottom pressure-differential wave energy converter

In this article, we investigate the energy absorption performance of a fixed-bottom pressure-differential wave energy converter. Two versions of the technology are considered: one has the moving surfaces on the bottom of the air chambers whereas the other has the moving surfaces on the top. We developed numerical models in the frequency domain, thereby enabling the power absorption of the two versions of the device to be assessed. It is observed that the moving surfaces on the top allow for easier tuning of the natural period of the system. Taking into account stroke limitations, the design is optimized. Results indicate that the pressure-differential wave energy converter is a highly efficient technology both with respect to energy absorption and selected economic performance indicators.     

海洋中尺度涡的机械能及其源汇研究*

由于观测手段的限制,海洋中尺度涡的能量输送及生成与耗散动力过程一直是世界大洋能量循环中悬而未决的一个问题,而中尺度涡在海洋中又广泛存在,它不仅占据海洋表层动能的绝大部分,而且是能量级串中连接大尺度和小尺度的中间环节,在大洋能量传输中扮演着重要的角色。文章以中尺度涡场机械能的大小、分布、源汇为主线,结合作者在这方面的最新研究成果,综述当前对中尺度涡机械能及其源汇的研究进展。     

Rocking buoy wave energy converter

A device for converting ocean wave energy into electricity utilizing a rocking buoy and a hydrogen pressure cell is described. The moored buoy contains a pneumatic tube filled with a dense liquid which rocks back and forth as a result of the ocean wave activity. Hydrogen gas, maintained above the dense fluid is alternatively compressed and expanded by the moving fluid. The hydrogen gas communicates with a hydrogen pressure cell and the resulting pressure difference across the cell leads to an electrical voltage and under load, to electrical power.     

Renewable energy from the ocean

Growing concern over the threat of global climate change has led to an increased interest in research and development of renewable energy technologies. The ocean provides a vast source of potential energy resources, and as renewable energy technology develops, investment in ocean energy is likely to grow. Research in ocean thermal energy conversion, wave energy, tidal energy, and offshore wind energy has led to promising technologies and in some cases, commercial deployment. These sources have the potential to help alleviate the global climate change threat, but the ocean environment should be protected while these technologies are developed. Renewable energy sources from the ocean may be exploited without harming the marine environment if projects are sited and scaled appropriately and environmental guidelines are followed.     

Revisiting ocean thermal energy conversion

Increasing concerns regarding oil spills, air pollution, and climate change associated with fossil fuel use have increased the urgency of the search for renewable, clean sources of energy. This assessment describes the potential of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) to produce not only clean energy but also potable water, refrigeration, and aquaculture products. Higher oil prices and recent technical advances have improved the economic and technical viability of OTEC, perhaps making this technology more attractive and feasible than in the past. Relatively high capital costs associated with OTEC may require the integration of energy, food, and water production security in small island developing states (SIDSs) to improve cost-effectiveness. Successful implementation of OTEC at scale will require the application of insights and analytical methods from economics, technology, materials engineering, marine ecology, and other disciplines as well as a subsidized demonstration plant to provide operational data at near-commercial scales.     

Fluctuations of peak energy and peak frequency of local wavelet energy spectrum for wind waves

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不规则波激励下磁力双稳态波浪能转换装置的能量捕获特性研究

该研究提出了一种新型磁力双稳态机构,主要由一对同向充磁的负刚度磁环,附加一对异向充磁的正刚度磁环组成,可通过调整磁环参数有效改变双稳态装置的势垒高度,从而克服传统型双稳态装置在小幅波浪激励下转换效率低的难题。基于Cummins方程建立了系统的时域非线性动力学模型,其中采用状态空间模型替代了辐射力的卷积积分项用于加快计算速度。采用四阶龙格库塔方法求解动力学方程,获得系统响应解。采用Jonswap波浪谱,研究了不规则波激励下波浪能转换装置的转换效率随双稳态结构参数以及波浪激励参数的变化规律。结果表明,新型磁力双稳态机构在合适参数下可以达到降低势垒高度和拓宽平衡点间距的效果,从而显著提高波能捕获效率,拓宽波能捕获频带,尤其是大幅提高了系统在小波高激励下的捕获宽度。     

Impact of long separating distances on the energy production of two interacting wave energy converters

In this paper, wave farms composed of two either surging or heaving wave energy converters are considered. Using a numerical model which takes into account wave interactions, the impact on the absorbed wave power of the separating distance between the two systems and the wave direction is studied. In regular waves, a modified q_mod factor is introduced and it is found to be more relevant than the usual q factor for identifying this impact. Then, it is shown that, asymptotically, the alteration of the energy absorption due to wave interaction effects decreases with the square root of the distance. This is a slow decay, which leads to a still significant modification of the wave energy absorption at long distance (up to 15% at a distance of 2000 m). In irregular waves, it is shown that constructive and destructive effects compensate each other, particularly when considering the mean annual power. It leads to a smaller impact of the wave interactions on the absorbed energy and shorter distances (smaller than 10% for distances greater than 400 m). Finally, conclusions on if wave interactions should be taken into account or not when designing a wave farm are drawn in function of the distance.     

不考虑局地引潮势的南海正压潮能通量与潮能耗散

利用ECOM模式模拟南海正压M2、S2、K1、O1分潮, 对南海潮能通量及潮能耗散进行研究.结果显示, M2、S2、K1和O1分潮分别有38.93、5.77、29.73和28.97GW的能通量经吕宋海峡传入南海, 并有2.42、0.36、8.67和7.86GW的能通量由南海经卡里马塔海峡传入爪哇海.由东海及吕宋海峡西北部传入台湾海峡的M2分潮能通量为25.28GW.半日潮进入北部湾和泰国湾的能通量较少(6.52GW), 全日潮则较大(24.74GW).通过民都洛和巴拉巴克海峡断面, 全日潮由南海向苏禄海共输送12.28GW的能通量, 而半日潮则由苏禄海向南海输送1.92GW的能通量.由模式输出结果估计得到的南海各局部海域的底摩擦耗散与净潮能通量存在差异, 为使二者平衡, 可对南海不同海域的底摩擦系数进行调整.依净潮能通量与底摩擦耗散平衡关系计算得到台湾海峡、北部湾、泰国湾及南海深水海域的底摩擦系数分别为0.0023、0.0024、0.0023和0.0021.     

Height-season structure of the available potential energy and kinetic energy in the lower and middle atmosphere

The distributions of kinetic energy (KE) and available potential energy (APE) in the lower and middle atmosphere of the Northern and Southern hemispheres over the period 1992–2003 are investigated. Annual mean values of the amplitude and phase of annual and semiannual oscillations in the zonal and eddy forms of KE and APE are calculated in the height range 0–55 km (1000–0.316 hPa) for the 21st layer. A clearly pronounced annual cycle of the zonal and eddy components of KE and APE with maxima in the winter season are observed in the troposphere of both hemispheres. In the lower stratosphere, the annual-cycle maximum is shifted toward the summer season because of the meridional gradient of the zonal mean temperature. In the stratosphere of both hemispheres, along with annual oscillations, semiannual oscillations are present in all forms of energy. The intensity of these oscillations for the zonal KE and APE at the upper-stratosphere heights is comparable to the intensity of annual oscillations. A local structure of the energy regime of the upper mesosphere-lower thermosphere is investigated against the background of the global energy regime from the data of meteor sounding in Kazan. It is shown that, for both the global and regional regimes, specific features of the phase profiles of energy characteristics can be explained by the presence of barriers during the propagation of wave disturbances along the vertical.     

Marine renewable energy and public rights

Marine renewable energy is likely to be an important part of UK energy policy over the next decades. A start has already been made, but to generate power on a significant scale requires the use of vast areas of ocean, on which there are competing claims. Legislation, and in particular the Energy Act 2004, goes a long way towards giving developers the legal infrastructure they need, to invest with confidence. But it is far from perfect, in dealing with important competing rights. This article has a narrow (but important) focus. It assumes that there are no problems over jurisdiction or international law. It is concerned principally with the rights of UK citizens. The issue is about reconciling the generation of large-scale marine renewable energy with other legitimate uses of the sea, and in particular fishing and navigation rights.